The finale begins with everyone getting on a boat. Everyone will be going to the Island of the Idols, together. Tommy is the only one who has not been before. For the remainder of the game, the players will be staying in the shelter Rob and Sandra built. They also all receive commemorative buffs. Rob and Sandra then leave the island. The final five enjoy their new luxuries, but also take time to discuss strategy. Janet has an idol, so she feels safe going to the final four. Dean and Noura agree that Janet is the threat, and since Dean has an idol nullifier, they may be able to ensure she goes.
Tommy thinks Rob and Sandra left them one more test. Because buffs have never been given to the final five before, he is sure there must be a clue in the buff. His studying leads him to look for machetes. The machetes point him to a specific coconut, which is red inside. However, Tommy is colorblind. He goes to Dean for help. Even with his sight, Tommy is the one to find the next clue. It is an H-like symbol. Once again, he asks Dean for help. He has Dean promise to give him whatever he finds. Dean does solve the clue, and finds an immunity idol. He does not, however, tell Tommy.
In the second to last immunity challenge, Tommy and Dean are off to an early lead, with Janet on their heels. Noura quickly works to catch up. Lauren is behind, but Janet is struggling. Tommy and Dean are neck and neck heading into the final stage of the challenge. Noura joins them, while Lauren and Janet just begin phase two. The maze becomes a stabilizer, as Janet manages to reach Tommy in the lead. Dean joins the leaders by landing the hardest ball first. His strategy pays off, and he wins immunity. He chooses to bring Noura with him to dinner.
Over dinner, the two repair their relationship, and Noura even enjoys flirting with him. They agree that Janet needs to go home. They also promise they’ll go to the end together. Back at camp, Janet and Tommy are working on their own plan. She says everyone needs to put votes on her and that she will play her idol. Meanwhile, she will vote Lauren. Tommy tells Janet that keeps his hands clean, but he does not want Janet to go to the end. He tells Lauren that he will get Dean to play his idol nullifier so that she is safe. No one knows where Dean stands.
At tribal council, not even Dean feels comfortable. Everyone is focusing on what comes after this vote. Janet mentions that everyone knows she is the best at building a fire. No one wants to face her in a fire-making challenge. However, she knows she has an idol, and she plays it once the votes are cast. Dean decided to not take Lauren out, and it is revealed that he played the nullifier on Janet before votes were cast. He lets the jury know that it was his move. Even the jury understood that this vote came down to Janet’s fire skills.
Back at camp, Dean is practicing fire. He knows he has two pacts with people, but he has not made fire once. Tommy is also looking to have some options to keep him out of the fire challenge. He approaches Noura and tries to make Dean look bad so she will take him to the end. Noura is enjoying being a commodity but also struggles with being a people-pleaser.
The final immunity challenge is brutal. The players must use blocks to spell Island of the Idols using blocks. However, the stand for the letters wobbles. Dean and Noura are the first to get a word. Noura starts to move ahead, but Dean is working to not fall behind. Lauren and Tommy have not managed to make any ground. Dean loses almost everything at the minute that Noura has almost won the challenge. Noura wins her third individual immunity and guarantees her a spot in the final three. She takes her time with her decision, but mostly in the explaining of it. She decides that Tommy will go with her, and that Dean and Lauren will be making fire. Tommy takes it on himself to teach both of them how to make fire. He knows one of them will be on the jury, and he wants it to be Lauren. He counsels her to keep her vote but gives more attention to Dean. Lauren and Noura have an emotional fight over her decision.
Fire making between Lauren and Dean begins. Dean takes time to build a structure first, before trying to get a spark. Dean gets a flame first. His fire roars tall, but Lauren gets a flame that is stronger. Dean manages to get his back up, and his starts to grow higher. It starts to burn the rope, and Laurens is just not tall enough to catch up. Dean makes fire and takes his spot in the final three. Everyone treated Noura as a goat, but in the end, her choices created this final three.
A paladin, a rogue, and a wild sorcerer walk into final tribal. Noura manages to confuse most of the jury, which is what we expected. Tommy explains his social game, and the jury points out that he only had a social game. Dean claims he tried to play a middle game socially, but he played hard with advantages and idols. Noura played with her heart but did not really have a strategy. She did excel in her individual challenges and points out that self-mastery is where she tried. The only thing left to do is vote. Tommy is the winner of Survivor Season 39, and he never even went to the Island of the Idols.
Next season promises one of the biggest seasons in survivor history: Winners of War. Every player is a previous winner. It will definitely be worth watching. Make sure to watch the reunion show for insights on this season.